Photography of Religious Architecture

American Friends of Chartres Video

As regular readers of Via Lucis know, PJ and I are closely affiliated with American Friends of Chartres (AFC), the American non-profit organization that raises money to help with the restoration of the monumental cathedral Notre Dame de Chartres. In the recent past, AFC has raised funds to restore the five Evanglist lancet windows in the south transept of the Cathedral.

Now AFC is embarking a new, unprecedented project – the restoration of the Bakers’ Bay windows and bringing the ensemble to the United States. For the first time, some of Chartres’ 13th century masterpieces of stained glass will be displayed in the United States. AFC is asking for our help in making this possible and has created a crowd-funding appeal on Razoo. Here is the video that accompanies that appeal.

Via Lucis has made both a cash contribution and donated our photographs to AFC for use on their website and video. We encourage all of our readers to aid in this restoration and subsequent exhibition. Please go to the Razoo site and and make a donation, however generous or modest. You will be thanked for your tax-deductible contribution on the AFC website, and your name will be inscribed in the Golden Book which is always kept open in the Cathedral. In addition, your gift may be made IN HONOR of a special person or event, or IN MEMORY of a departed loved one, for no extra cost. And finally, as a member of the AFC community, you will receive a special invitation to the exhibition of the windows in the US.

3 responses to “American Friends of Chartres Video”

Michael, to clean and restore the windows, the experts remove them and take them apart piece by piece, clean each piece and then reassemble with new leading. In this particular case, the windows will be sent to the United States for exhibition after the restoration and then returned to Chartres.

Hi Dennis–I’ve looked at all the sites that the AFC has for this and see no way to donate in memory of someone. It seems there’s only the simple form that takes the data for the credit card holder and charges it. Any suggestions?

Comments on Via Lucis

“There are people who take pictures, there are photographers, and then, there is Via Lucis. This is the most incredible collection of images from Medieval churches I have yet seen. These places are amazing to start with, but what Dennis Aubrey and PJ McKey accomplish in these spaces with a camera is breathtaking.”

“How do you do it – time after time after time – beautiful photographs that need no words and beautiful words that need no photographs? Combined they transport us to the deepest place of our inner selves. Your gifts of self – an eye for finding the beauty in these ancient buildings and your ability to capture that beauty and share it with others – those are your blessings on those of us fortunate enough to know of your site and follow it.” – Jay Fredrich